17

VARIANT

EXPANDED SIMPLICITY
An Enhancement of the Eylau / Napoleon at Waterloo System
by John B. Best

Although it may seem contrary to its purpose, one whatever the largest combat strength in that Second Player's Defensive Artillery Phase.
can' t resist "com plexifying " a simple game particular game is. It's desirable to make pro- The second player may attack enemy cavalry units
system. Eve ryone has a different sense of what is portionally more 1'5, 2's, and 3's because that are adjacen t 10 his own artillery units. The sec-
too simple or too abstrac ted to be realistic. And so these numbers reflect the strength losses that ond player may ignore any and all adverse combat
we syn thesize a new s lightly more complex system resu lts in carrying out these defensive artillery at-
are more likely to occur. After filling in the
out of the pla in-Jane base. Or in th is case shou ld I tacks against enemy cavalry units .
say pla in Jeann e ? - Redmond squares (a total of 60-70 counters should be
sufficient), affix the piece of paper to a light First Player's Cavalry Combat Phase. The first
The Napoleon at Waterloo (NA W) com- player 's undisrupted cavalry unjts must attack
cardboard backing using rubber cement for
some adjacent enemy unit. He may perform these
bat system is justifiably celebrated. At the this purpose. After the cement is dry, cut the ca valry charges in any order he wishes , applying
operational level, the system gives a great feel counters with scissors or a paper cutter. the resul.ts immediately as each attack is made.
for the ebb and flow of combat 'and the Voila! You now have a set of "current
First Player's Non-Cavalry Unit Movement
ponderous movement of huge masses of sol- strength markers." Phase. The first player may mOve hi s infantry and
diers. And yet, the NA W system ac- The modification to the standard rules is artillery units and bring in infantry and arlillery
complisl;J.es this with a very low level of com- presented next. Following the rules, there reinforcements. The same stipulations of the first
plexity. Perhaps because of its simplicity, the will be a short explanation of the "whys and player's Cavalry Movemen l Phase apply here.
system invites tinkering. Generally modifica- wherefores" and a perspective on the likely Second Player's Defensive Artillery Phase.
tions involve tailoring the system to simulate outcomes. The seco nd player may attack enemy infantry and
the characteristics of specific historical arlillery uni ts that are adjacent to his own artillery
periods and/or adding chrome to make the [3.0} BASIC PROCEDURE units. The second player may ignore any and all
system seem a little more" funky. " adverse combat results in carryin g 'out these defen-
What's presented here is another modi- Sequence of Play sive artillery attacks against enemy infantry and
fication to the NA W system as it appears in The players take turns moving their units and artillery uni ts.
one of its most recent incarnations: making attacks. T he order in which they take these First Player'S Infantry and Artillery Combat
Napoleon's A rt oj War. actions is described in this Sequence of Play Phase. The firs t player's undis rupted infantry and
outline. One completion of the Sequence o f Play is artillery units must attack some enemy unit if they
This alteration of the system represen ts
called a Game-Turn . Each Game-1\Jrn consisls of . a re adjacent to any unit at the beginn ing of this
an attempt to capture just a Htttle bit more of two Player-Turns . Each Player-Turn consists· of phase. The first player may carry out these attacks
the tactical feel of the Napoleonic landscape several phases. in any order he wishes, applying res ults im-
while retaining as much as possible the med iately as each allack is made.
FIRST PLAYER-TURN :
playability and clarity of the basic system. Of
Cavalry Movement Phase. The fi rsl player may First Player's Second Cavalry Movement
course, this alteration represents a com- Phase. The fi rst player may move his cavalry
move his cava lry units and bring in cavalry rein-
promise: play will be slowed down atad and forcement s. He may move as' many or as few units again. He may move as many or as few
the tactical touches are not going to lure cavalry units as he wi shes, one after the other, cavalry units as he wishes. one after the other,
anyone away from Ney vs. Wellington. withinlhe limitations of the rules of movemem. within the limitations of the rules of movemen t.
Simply put, the idea here was to take a basic Disruption Removal Phase. The first player in-
game and add a few more of the things that verlS a ll disrupted units, indica ting that these un its
made the system so delightful in the first have returned ( 0 a fully functioning status.
place, namely "feel" and excitement.
SECOND PLAYER-TURN _
The rules that follow are specifically in-
Steps 1 through 8 are duplicated with the sec-
tended as a modification of the Eylau rules;
ond player substituted for the first player;
only those rules directly altered are included
here . For that reason it's best to have a copy
of the Eylau rules, although grognards may [4.41 Some units may end their
be familiar enough with the NA W system to Movement Phase stacked together in
get by without a copy. Original rules that are the same hex as another friendly unit.
not contravened herein are intended to re- One or more units may move through a hex
main in force as they are written in Strategy & containing another friendly unit. In so me cases
Tactics nr.75. units may end their movement Slacked together
Players will need one additional element with another rriendly unit. Units may stack only in
to play the game: current strength chits such an enemy Zone of Control (see 4.5). Units which
as those found in Battaile de fa Moscova or do not end their Movement Phase in an enemy
Gettysburg '77. Would-be players who don't Zone o f Control may not be stacked . Cavalry units
possess either of these games may resort to an may stack only with other friendly cavalry units .
A t th e end of their movement, infantry and ar-
expedient that is now all but forgotten: tillery units may stack in any combination . The
mounting your own counters. Simply rule a stacking limit is two combat units. "Informational
"neutral" colored piece of paper into a counters" (e.g., fresh strength markers, disrup-
number of V2~i nch squares. Fill in the tion, leader, or currelll status COUt1lers) do not
squares with numbers ranging from 1 to count against the stack ing limit.
18

[4 .SJ An infantry or artillery unit must

stop upon entering a hex that is the
Zone of Control of an enemy unit.
C9MBATRESULTSTABLE"
Whenever a non-cavalry unit enters a hex that
DIE·
is directly adjacent to any of the enemy player's 'ROLL . :'~ 1-5 1-4 1-3 1-2
units, the moving unit must stop and move no fur- 1 IROII III 1/ I -Il R
ther that phase. The six hexes surrounding a unit
constitute tha t unit's Zone of Control (these hexes ", 2; .2ROl l IRlI 1/1 1'/ 1 ,
are considered "controlled" by the unit). ; 3 2RD/- lRDI- IR /l II I
A non-ca valry uni t may not move so long as it - ."
,4 ,2RD/ - 2RQ/ - l Rl- lR/l '
is in an enemy controlled hex. Only by freeing - ~~" ' ,,,~~ <

itself through a combat result maya non-cavalry 5 E/ - 2RD/ - IRD / - IRO/ - IR/-
" "".''':U;:-
uni t escape the "freezing" effect of any enemy
<'~.

'~ , E/~ E/ - 2RD / - 2RD/ - lRDl - ' lR'D/ ..

Zone of Control.

Cavalry units are not affected by enemy' Res~Jtsto the left 9f the slash,apply to tile at-
Zones of Control for movement purposes. When a tac)d,ng 'uni ls;,:results to' the r ight of the' slash
cavalry unit enters an enemy controlled hex, it is "aPlJlyJo [he defender. "
.." ....,
~~,

not required to stop and may continue moving

through and beyond the enemy unit's Zone of
Control. Cavalry units continue to exert Zones of
Control on enemy infa ntry and artillery units. A
cavalry unit may leave or move through the Zone units. Phasing infantry and cavalry un its may ad- EYLAU EXCLUSIVE RULES
of Control of an enemy unit at the beginning of vancc into a hex vacated by th e retreating of a
either of its Movement Phases. It need not free defending, non-phas ing unit. Up to two such vic-
torious units may advance intO the vacated hex.
[23.1) Each player is awarded one
itself through combal. victory point for each enemy Combat
1.2= the ind icated player must lose the indica ted Strenght Point eliminated.
[S.IJ A unit that is in an enemy Zone of number of Combat Strength Points fl"Om one of his
Control must attack. attacking/defending uni ts. If mare than one unit is Note that bonus points (fresh strength and
All units which end their movement in enemy attacked, or defended , the owning player decides divisi9nal integrity) are not considered in this
Zones o( Control, whether they stack with another how to allocate the loss (i .e., he decides which unit calculation . For units that have lost Combat
unit or not, "commit" themselves to making an at- will take the reduction in Combat Strength). If a Strength Points through combat, each point lost
tack. Players are not necessarily required to atlack unit's Combat Strength is reduced 10 zero , then the from the unit's original strength is counted as an
every enemy unino which they have become adj a- unit is eliminated. Combat Strength losses are per- eliminated Stength Point.
cent during movement, but every unit that ends its manent and cumu lative . To show that a given unit
Movement Phase in an enemy Zone of Control has taken losses, place a Current St re ngth chit
mUSl make a n attack on at least one enemy unit in under the unit in questioli. This chit should show
the ensuing Comba t Ph·ase. (N ote : The exception the number of Strength Poin t losses that are to be [24.0] ARMY
to this general ru Ie occurs a t the end of the second subtracted from the Combat Strength printed on
Cavalry Movement Phase. At thi s time 'cavalry the unit's face. Example: A Russian brigade with
DEMORALIZATION
units may end their movement in an encmy Zone a printed strength of 8 takes a "I" result on the GENERAL RULE:
of Control without performing a subsequent at- Combat Result Tab le. A "I" chit from their pool is Each of the opposing armies has a Morale
lack si nce the re is no ensuing Combat Phase in this placed under the Russia n brigade. The brigade's Level representing their spirit and elan . Losses
instance). Current Strength is now 7 (8 - I = 7). Furt her have an adverse effect on this willingness to fight.
losses increase the number on the Current Strength If losses reach critical proportions the army is said
[6.3) The abbreviations on the Combat chit that is then subtracted from the unit's face
Results Table will indicate that units to be demoralized.
value. In essence, then, the Current Strength chit
are either eliminated. unaffected. funclions like a negative number. Once a unit has PROCEDURE:
retreated, lose strength points. or are taken losses, it's new Combat Strength is used in Both players keep track of their losses on a
disrupted. lhe samc way as its old printed strength. separa te sheet of paper. If, at any point during a
Each result on the Combat Results Table is given Game-TUrn, the total .number of Combat
divi ded in two. The result to the left of the slash in- - ' = no effect. T he indic'a ted uni tes) is not affected Strength Points lost equals or exceeds the number
dic ate results that pertain to the attacking or phas- by its participation in combat. ind icated on the Demoralization Table, then that
ing player. Similarly the result to the righl of the particular army is said to be demoralized. An army
[6.5) When the only "safe" hex is
slash are the results that pertain to the defender or mav recover from demoralization in later Game-
occupied by a friendly unit. the Tu r'ns if its Strength Point losses fall below the
non-phasing player. Note: For purposes of defen-
retreating unit may stack with that unit levels indicated on the Demoralization Table . Both
sive artillery fire only, the non-phasing pla yer is
considered the "attacker." even if this violates the previously the French and Allied forces may undergo and
mentioned stacking prohibitions. recover from demoralization several times during
E = the indicated player loses all units that par- anyone game.
Cavalry units may slack with infantry and ar-
tic ipated in that combat.
tillery units; however, the retreating unit must Example: On Game-Turn 6, a French attack has
D = the indicated player must "disrupt" each and unstack at the earliest opportunity. There is no just eliminated a Russian brigade with the result
every unit that participa ted in tha t combat. lim it to the number of units that may retreat onto a that the Russians have now lost a total of 37 Com-
"Disruption" is indica ted by flipping the affected safe hex in this fashion; however, if the safe hex is bat Strength Points . Th is exceeds the 35 Strength
units over. Disrupted units may not enter an enemy attacked before the retreating un its have an oppo r.. Point limit lis ted in the Demoralization Table for
Zone of Control; they may not attack adjacent lunity to detach themselves, then the re treating the Russians on that turn. The Allied Army (Prus-
enemy units. Furthermore , disrupted artillery units suffer all adverse combat results. sians included) is now immediately demoralized
units may not bombard enemy units , nor may they for the remainder of Game-Turn 6, and the effects
fi re at enem y units during the defensive artillery [6.61 When a hex is vacated as a result of demoralization apply to them . If. by the begin-
phases. Disrupted units have their Movement of combat. up to two victorious ning of Game-Turn 7, the Allies sustain no further
Allowance halved (fractions rounded down) and participating units may advance into casualties, they will recover from demoralization
their Combat Strength halved if they are the object the hex. because the new limit is 45 Combat Strength
of an a ttack. Disrupted uni ts retain thei r Zones of Such an advance as a result of combat is an Points for that turn. So, either (or both) armies
Control and they do count towards the two unit option which must be exercised im mediately might begin a turn in "normal" morale status,
stacking limi t. The effects of disruption upon before going on to resolve any further combat in become demoralized through combat losses, and
friendly units end at the conclusion of each friend· that phase. A unit is never forced to advance after then recover on the subsequent tu rn . The
ly P layer-Turn. combat. A unit may advance in to an enemy- demoralization of one army in no way precludes
R = the indicated player mus t re treat all units thaI controlled hex (even when advancing direclly from the demoralization of the opposing army. Both ar-
parlicipa ted in that comba t. These retreated units an enemy-controlled hex). Artillery may never ad- mies may become demoralized and recover during
are forced to ret rea t one hex a way from I he enemy vance after combat. the course of the game.
{con I in "ed on page 34]
34

MOVES Canada [continuedJrompage26} purposes and do not exist merely to ac- Expanded Simplicity {corrtinuedJrom page f8}
cumulate treasures, slay enemies or improve
Despite the titles, the abilities have real ef- their skills at dice-rolling. Commando Effects of Demoralization.
fects on the character's play and differentiate characters have well-defined goals and their When an attack is made agains/n unit of a
the character's player from the "joes" who success or failure as a character is keyed into demoralized army, the attacker subtracts one from
accompany him . their performance of their missions. the die-roll; cross-index this modified die-roll with
Once up into the "Major Novel" hero the appropriate column on the Combat Results
Commando as a role-playing game isJar Table.
class (two ranks above TV hero) he may from as complete or detailed as many role-
choose to use the Miraculous Escape Matrix playing games are today. No provisions are
When an attack is made by a unit of a
once per mission, immediately after learning demoralized army, the attacker adds one to the
made for many of the minutiae which flavor die-roll; cross-index this modified die-roll with the
the results of a combat. The player rolls two (or weight, depending on your viewpoim)
dice and cross-references the results. on the appropriate column of the Combat Results Table.
these games : carried weight isn't considered; When an atlack made by units of a demorali zed
matrix to obtain an escape - a predictably intelligence isn 't a factor, nor is charisma; force clears a hex of defending units, the
tongue-in-cheek result such as "meteorite modern electronic technology, communica- demoralized attackers may not advance into the
strikes enemy man," "enemy man falls for tions systems, and high-tech weaponry aren't vacated hex.
the old 'Look, It's Halley's Comet Trick,' " considered. There are more details missing
"sentry trips over untied shoelace" and [24.0] DEMORALIZATION TABLE
than included. But players shouldn't con- GAME· FRENCH LOSSES RUSSIAN LOSSES
"bullet strikes commando's lucky charm." sider that it detracts from the game; instead TURN (in Strength Points) (in Strength Points)
But no matter what it reads, the results are they should consider Commando as a base 4 30 25
the same: miraculous escape from imminent From which to further develop. It's a good
doom (unless of course the unlucky sod rolls game, a remarkably smooth system which
1,1 or 6,6 in which case he takes the wound has accepted the compromise of a light-
points due). It comes as a bit of surprise that weight framework in exchange for a well
the thin humor does not detract from the designed, complete tactical s ystem -
game but rather adds to il. .. perhaps because something few, if any of the swords-and-
so little flavor otherwise colors the role- sorcery can boast.
playing section .
Another desolate area in the rules is the 12 80 70
The Morrow Project An army that loses enough Strength Points dar-
between-mission status of the commando
and his team. While a character may heal A footnote to any mention of modern ing a Game·Turn LO LOp [he figures in lhe table
role-playing games should include reference becomes demoralized. Assuming the army does
wounds, increase certain characteristics , and
to Timeline's The Morrow Project: a pseudo- not gain too many extra lo sses, it may regain
prac[ice skills, the process is boringly morale in subsequent turns if ils losses fall
mechanical and without any role-playing SF game which supposes sometime in the below the numbers lisled 011 [he table .
flavor. The same may be said of the rules for present that a concerned group of philan-
the perpetuation of the fire-team (assuming thropists will make exacting preparations for [25_0] STARTING THE GAME
you have a team you want to keep together. .. the continuation of civilization after a In this version of the game, play begins with
but what would happen if Sgt. Fury changed nuclear holocaust. In order to do so, modern Game-Turn 4.
cronies each comic?) along with the rules on day soldiers and specialists in "hibernation" One of the overall effects of these rules
aging and retirement. The designer seems to are sealed into protected bases to be awaken- is to make the cavalry much more mobile.
have stopped short in his efforts, providing ed after the next war has devastated a good Now, players will have an easier time
us with a fairly complete game for simulating portion of the planet. The premise isn't ex- recreating Murat's famous charge at Eylau in
missions but not providing us with a system actly new, nor are the rules particularly dif- which several stunned Russian brigades were
by which to give life to the characters per- ferent from a host of others around. What is hacked to pieces. Curiously, however,
forming those missions. It becomes incum- of interest is the amazing amount of data the cavalry is also far more fragile than they are
bent on the players to fill in the blanks in one book provides - hard data about in the original rules. Simply put, cavalry
order to complete the game in the manner we weapons, ammunition, grenades, radiation simply cannot stay in the battle line against a
have come to expect in role-playing games. shielding, travel times, vehicles and nuclear concerted infantry and artillery counterat-
weapons. While the authors were overly- tack . Improperly used, the cavalry will melt
Again, for reasons known only to the
conservative in predicting the development away fairly quickly. Again this result might
designer, command control has been left out
of future weaponry, they have provided an seem right". HistoricaJly, Napoleonic cavalry
of the rules (although covered in part in the extensively detailed survey of current mili- was the most difficult of the three arms to
section on rank and promotjon). Perhaps tary hardware. A typical entry for a par- control. Similarly, the infantry are Likely to
they were considered too "dirty" for the ticular weapon would include name, caliber, find themselves locked in attritional but
system to be included. weight, effective and maximum ranges, type relatively indecisive fire fights up and down
Basically, one must consider the role- and rate of fire, feed device and feed device the line. In a simplistic way, the variant seems
playing segment an open-ended system: a weight, basic load carried, load and total to reproduce the slaughter on the Napoleonic
framework to allow players to develop their weights, plus comments. For this informa- battlefield, with units wearing each other
own more elaborate structures. Obviously to tion alone, players of modern games should down until finally one side or another cracks
prevent Commando from being a mere one- get the booklet. It also proves fairly easy to altogether. .
shot game, players will want to establish a interface with Commando . The game seems to be well balanced. In
continuity-fiction such as bind fantasy role- Morrow has unique properties all of its half of the games played, the French were in
playing games between expeditions. An in- own, however, and players might care to try possession of both Eylau hexes; in the other
terested gamesmaster will be able to research playing the game itself, although the combat games, the Allies held the town. On the
and add into the game structure a wealth of is neither as exciting nor as complex as Com- average the French Jose an average of 17
current information and militaria to give mando. It is unfair to compare the two games totally eliminated units for a total of 70
added chrome to the game. Players should since they represent two divergent paths in points. Total combat strength losses [un
consider required reading Forsythe's Dogs oj game design: Morrow is far more the tradi- about 86 points for the French . The Allies
War (the book; not the movie which offers a tional role-playing game while Commando is lose about 18 units on the average totalling
rather flat presemation of the chartacters) . an attempt to meld together two systems . But about 75 points.
This should help to create an atmosphere for Morrow has some useful and interesting I think the modification represents an
players to design their own characters . material in it and that is rare enough in cur- intriguing alternative to the standard system,
Unlike far too many role-playing games, rent games. You can't criticize it for trying so one that can be enjoyed by both novice and
characters in Commando have real game- hard . • • experienced gamer alike . • •